Cruise NewsSeveral Cruise Ships Pulling Out of Jamaican Port

Several Cruise Ships Pulling Out of Jamaican Port

At least three cruise ships will no longer stop in Falmouth, Jamaica for the upcoming cruise season the Jamaica Gleaner is reporting.

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Falmouth’s mayor, Colin Gager, told the Jamaica Gleaner that the reason for the ships pulling out was due to visitor harassment, conduct of tour bus operators and craft venders, and other issues.  Cruise lines expressed their concern to the mayor.

Two Royal Caribbean ships and one from Celebrity Cruises will call on other ports in the Caribbean for the upcoming cruise season.  The only ship named in the report was Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas.  Combined, the ships brought in 10,000 passengers per visit to the area.

Royal Caribbean currently has 5 cruise ships that stop in Falmouth, Jamaica.  A few Princess ships also visit the port from time to time.

Local officials stated that they will be working to fix the problems areas of concern from the cruise lines and hope that the ships will return in either 2019 or 2020.

Falmouth, Jamaica is one of the three main cruise ports in Jamaica.  The port opened six years ago with Royal Caribbean providing the financing to build the port in this historic area. The pier is able to accommodate the largest cruise ships in the world, Royal Caribbean’s Oasis class ships.

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Ben Souza
Ben Souza
Ben is a world traveler who has visited 40+ countries, taken over 70 cruises. He is one of USA TODAY's experts for their 10Best Readers' Choice Awards. His writings have appeared and been cited in various media outlets such as Yahoo News, MSN, NPR, CNN, Fox, and ABC News. Ben currently resides in Cincinnati, Ohio. Follow Ben on Instagram. Visit Ben Souza on Linkedin. You may email Ben at [email protected].
Cruise NewsSeveral Cruise Ships Pulling Out of Jamaican Port
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39 COMMENTS

  1. I was in Grand Turks in September and loved it. We have been there three times and have enjoyed it every time. As far as Jamaica goes you can have Ocho Rios it’s trash and nasty. But for Falmouth we loved it there. The gated part was nice and no one was harassing us and we walked around and bought a couple of things and we went to blue water for our excursion.

  2. I went for the first time this spring but I only went into the gated dock area. Everyone was nice and I wasn’t harassed in the slightest. My friends (male, female) went river rafting and had a blast.

    That said, I really have no desire to return to the island. As others have said- there’s plenty of better places to go. Jamaica was the alternate port after the hurricane closed many on our original itinerary.

    Nassau was the only place I was outright offered drugs (coke and then weed a block later). The coke guy was really friendly and took my “No” without question. I had to tell the weed guy no a few times. Not that I didn’t want any, I just didn’t want any trouble.

    As for harassment and dubious charges? Mexico wins hands down! I never want to go back to that sh!t hole country! Even my hopes for good mexican food were dashed. My Mole is far better!

  3. We were just there in may & had a blast at the Falmouth port … we shopped in port …did a blue waters beach club excursion then came back to port & went to Margaritaville & swam in the pool there & had a few drinks …. we were never harassed… I think it’s a beautiful port

  4. Every were in the world have problems, Not only Jamaica, I do agree the harassment is annoying if you go to some European countries it’s the same scenario,The thing is that people don’t understand that Jamaica is just a 3rd world country which depends on tourism to survive so the competition is very high amongst the people trying to make a little money for them selves and for their families.Jamaica is a very nice place, I noticed people complaining about crime and violence as well that’s also a world wide out cry. I love Jamaica and I Will Keep visiting the island you just have to be smart and don’t ne naive to the world and it’s problems.

    • We’ve been to Falmouth 4 times always enjoyed it. However Ocho Rios is a different story went once and NEVER again!!

  5. Hi. was that an excursion that included both mystic mountain and dunn’s river? If so, what port, and where did you get the excursion? Thanks.

    • Fredrick C Neal likes to smoke, that’s why he made that comment. I have co-worker from Jamaican and retired and return home . Guess what both are dead now , someone rob them of their thing’s and their life. Jamaica is not what is was once upon of time.

  6. I have been to Ocho Rios twice and would never go back.we we harassed both time so bad we just got back on the ship.if they didn’t harass the tourist, they would find people spending more money in there country.

    • My husband is from Jamaican, and he don’t want to go their. When I was in Ocho Rio walking a cab driver told me we shouldn’t be walking because we might get rob. M husband told him to let someone try. Thats because he wanted to take us on a tour. No thanks. I don’t get off the ship.

  7. We did like being harassed in Jamaica either went back to the ship early. The things we did purchase was because they were not bothering us. I understand they are poor and desperate but tourist would spend more if not harassed.

  8. I was there a long time ago… I saw that it would eventually turn into what it is today. I would not even go there on a free vacation. The only way is if you go directly to a resort and never leave it. Other wise save your money and vacation time and go somewhere else.

  9. I read the comment about Grand Turk, I disagree. Grand Turk is a place where you can go to the beautiful beach and get a chair in the shade without much difficulty and relax. as far as nothing to do, it was nice to have a peaceful, tropical port with friendly shopkeepers and bar staff. We love Grand Turk and look forward to it on whatever cruise we take when it is one of the destinations.

  10. Just came off the Harmony of the Seas in June and my first trip to Falmouth, Jamaica. The prices for rides to other areas were ridiculous so I walked into town. After 5 blocks of being harassed by people trying to sell me drugs or time with a woman I went straight back to the ship. After 35 cruises this was the worst port I have ever visited (a couple of others come close to matching this). Sad thing was there were police all over the place.

  11. This may be true for Jamaica but I really think the vendors on Royal Caribbean Island is worst. You can’t even walk pass the vendors area without being harass by two or three vendors (people) for each area, it’s terrible. Royal Caribean should take a look at this, we love the island but we just go that area any more. We would like to go there each time visit the island to walk around but, we can’t.

  12. Jamaica is a beautiful country… only problem?… is full of Jamaicans. Hey Cruise lines… Pull out forever from this port and visit a “Private Beach” anywhere in the Bahamas instead.

  13. Always a problem in Jamaica…they constantly try to sell you drugs…this year got off ship and went to a bar for a piñata colada….they ran our CC 160.00 instead of 16.00…. Really becoming run down….not safe…will never get off ship if ported in Jamaica…..it’s too bad because it used to be a fun place

  14. I was there a month ago and absolutely loved Jamaica. We went to Mystic Mountain and Dunns River Falls. Had an excellent time.

  15. I refuse to get off the ship in Jamaica, constant approaches by shopkeepers, offers to by “smoke”, and generally feeling unsafe just walking in the street. No thanks!

  16. We had problems from that port and montego bay port, as a whole didn’t like jamicia at all due to harssement from locals!

    • We were just in Grand Turk in March and rented a golf cart and drove around the island (driving on the left side of the road, no less). Made it back with no broken bones and had a good time. Had lunch at a nice place right on the water.

  17. We went to Montego Bay Jamaica in 2010 and I did not like it. I may give it one more chance now that it has been a few years. It was very sad to see the conditions of the roads and how people lived there. Our guide said there was 3 million people on the island with 2 million out of work.

  18. Glad to hear it. The men on the island are very disrespectful to women, even if they’re with there significant partners.

    We’ve been to Jamaica 4 times, the first was a cruise ship excursion, the locals were nasty. The second time we walked off the ship for about 1 mile, very nasty again and disrespectful to my wife and I . Our next visits, never got off the ship!!!

    Dangerous place!!!

  19. Went on April and hated the island. Dirty and our Dunns Rivers excursion was disgusting. Unorganized and brought us to some nasty place for rum tasting. By far the worst port I ever went to in 9 cruises I’ve been on!

  20. When I was there at Falmouth Jamaica it was ugly, nasty and smell. I never want to go back.

  21. Safety and harrassment are an issue in the entire country. This is a national problem, not just a civic one.
    I will never step foot in that country again as I had an antire week-from-hell at a resort there 5 long years ago. It is very sad to see that nothing has changed, and in August when my ship ports there I will keep my tourist dollars in my pocket and stay onboard.

    That is all so sad as the country is physically beautiful and some of the residents are wonderful people. Everyone loses in this situation.

  22. We’ve been to Falmouth on two cruises, and I still cannot see the advantage of stopping there. On the first cruise, I walked out through the security gate, and I stopped after about 30 feet. I was not about to walk through what obviously looked like a crowd that would likely harass me. I immediately retreated back to the security of the gated port area. On the second cruise, the crowds were more spread out, and I was able to look around the shops. I still did not have the feeling that this was the typical, friendly Caribbean port. Shopping advice: save your shopping for other ports, because a sales tax of 16.5% is tacked onto every purchase. With many of the same companies operating in every port, why pay that much more to buy anything in Jamaica?

  23. We traveled as a group and had problems with the Dolphin excursion and the tour/yoga excusion. Royal Caribbean reimbursed us for both excursions.

    • That’s a shame because the island need tourism. I hope the major take swift action to fix the problem.

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